England could be thrown out of the 2022 World Cup if they boycott this summer’s tournament over the attempted murder of a former Russian spy in Salisbury, the Daily Telegraph can reveal.

Pressure is mounting on the Government to order Gareth Southgate’s side to withdraw from football’s showpiece event if Vladimir Putin is found to have been behind the the nerve-agent attack that has left Sergei Skripal and his daughter fighting for their lives, put a police officer in intensive care, and resulted in a further 18 people needing medical treatment.